What is hardening of the heart?

Answer 1

Hardening of the arteries due to cholesterol plaques is called atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis. The term Atherosclerosis literally means "hardening from atheroma". In a healthy person, the artiers have walls that are muscular, smooth and elastic enough to allow for variations in blood pressure, which allows the blood to pass through freely.

In people who don't watch their diet (especially their fat intake), fatty streaks appear on the inner walls of arteries. As the fatty streaks grow, it causes further damage to the arteries, and the fatty streaks harden. This results in erosion of the arterial walls, diminishes the elasticity of the artery, and narrows the passageway which interferes with the flow of blood. The fatty tissue is known as atheroma.

This process is a major factor in Heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure, among other health problems, but it can be controlled, and even prevented by maintaining a healthy, low fat diet, and exercising on a regular basis.
Arteriosclerosis is the same thing as hardening of the artery. Arteriosclerosis is the medical word.

Answer 2

References in The Bible to hardening of the heart do not ever refer to arteriosclerosis as described by modern cardiac medicine.

Hardening of the heart is what we would call stubbornness or pride. It may exist in a less extreme form and a hardening in some cases may refer to its getting worse - that is, a person has become even more proud and stubborn.
It is more when stuborness and pride get the better of you, and you do not want to listen.

Answer 3

Hardening of the heart is a metaphorical term for a mental state where a person becomes less compassionate, empathetic, or emotionally responsive. It can be a defense mechanism to protect oneself from emotional pain, but it can also lead to decreased emotional connections with others and difficulty in forming meaningful relationships. It is important to address the underlying causes and work on cultivating emotional vulnerability and empathy.